HWS News
8 August 2023 Introducing the Department of Politics
The department will provide a fresh approach to American political studies.
With a new focus and topics centralized on the United States, the Political Science Department is changing to the Department of Politics, bringing new subfields focused on the American political system and the country’s relations to the world.
The new Politics major and minor will allow students to focus on the theoretical and foundational elements of American citizenship and engagement, explore ways that citizens have historically influenced government, and assess avenues causing change in the contemporary world. The program intends to provide students with the tools to assess, influence and create change in American Politics.
“Whereas the Political Science program focused on structures of power across the globe, Politics will focus on ways of understanding and engaging with power in the American context and in relation to other countries,” says DeWayne Lucas, an associate professor of politics and the department chair.
The change brings three new subfields: Foundations; Law and Government; and Power and Movements.
- Foundations courses will provide insights into the fundamental questions and underlying values that have long animated political struggle and inquiry.
- Law and Government courses will examine the structure, processes and rules of political and legal systems in the United States.
- Power and Movement courses will explore the various roles of citizens as political actors, as well as their motivating ideologies, in shaping and reshaping relations with the political world.
Lucas says the faculty of the department wanted to create opportunities for students to find paths for engaging with the challenges facing the U.S., to develop skills for effective citizenship and to understand modern political processes.
Courses in the department are designed to give students a foundation in political action and purpose, institutional and legal arrangements and political movements that impact the country.
“From careers in law and politics to those in political activism and engagement, students will be well-prepared to engage in and navigate the political system,” says Lucas.
For students who matriculated prior to Spring 2023, the Department continues to oversee the Political Science major and minor. The Political Science major and minor will formally discontinue at the end of Spring 2026.
Visit the Department of Politics page to learn more.
